Kurai leans against the wall in the hallway. Kaneko walking out.
"Kurai I-" Kurai interrupts him. His voice wavering more than it already was. As if he was on the brink of breaking down into tears.
"I forgot to give you the group chat…" Kaneko is shocked.
"What…?" Kurai points his phone screen to Kaneko as his eyes widen.
Both of them bolt down the hallway full steam ahead. Quickly turning into a room where most of LWT team stands. Kurai rushing to stand beside the bed where Cameron lays. Cameron smiles.
"Kurai? You made it…" Kurai looks over at Coach Russ.
"What's going on coach!?" Russ looks down.
"He's in critical condition with heart cancer, he has been since halfway through our game yesterday. That's what the phonecall was about." Kurai covers face and tries to stop himself from crying.
"Now of all times?" Lucas shouts.
"Cameron! Don't leave me!" Cameron smiles calmly.
"I want you guys, to live to your fullest. Live every moment like it's your last, Thanks for playing Volleyball for me…" Everyone one by one starts crying as Kurai leans on the bed.
"Lucas, Kurai, Kaneko, This pain you feel right now is the first step to full transformation to become a phoenix, you must burn first. So burn brightly, for me will- you…?" Coach Russ tightens his grip on the bed. Kurai clenching his fist. Lucas crying his eyes out.
"Cameron! I promise we'll make it to nationals and win!!" Cameron nods.
"Thanks- for- that- Good luck- LakeWood… Tech…" The heart monitor beeps as doctors rush into the room. Kurai gets pushed back as he blankly stares at the now dieing Cameron.
Name: Cameron Miller
Time of Death: 8:34
Cause of death: Heart Cancer
The team stands out in the hallway. Russ taking a deep breath.
"We all never realize the importance of those close to us, Those on the brink of death and those who are just injured. You never realise how much we need something, Until it's gone. So let's take our friends dying words, Burn like a flame and become a phoenix and take his last words to Nationals for CAMERON!" The team shouts.
"Yeah!" Russ continues.
"Our final qualifying match against Mason County High School is a week from now, I'm not saying you should practice, but take this moment and time to consider the way you're living and improve, Cause mental health is just as important as your Physical health, I'll see you on wednesday…"
Kurai and Kaneko walk into their Moms hospital room to find her silently crying. Kurai shocked.
"Mom!?" She looks over.
"Kurai? Kaneko? Sorry for the mess I was-" Kurai doesn't say anything and hugs her. Shocking both her and Kaneko.
"You don't need to explain, just know we're here for you…" All three of them hug while crying.
The principal stands in front of the whole school and sighing.
"We start this new semester with heavy hearts in regards to the men's Volleyball team, after two consecutive landslide victories against Lewis and Braken County. They returned to Mason to learn of their close friend's loss against cancer. So in memorial of Cameron Miller, let's start off with some silence in respect for this loss…" An extended silence followed. Xavier looking down: 'he was the only person who accepted me…' Lucas sits silently with no emotion. The principal continues.
"Thank you for the silence, from this day onward, LakeWood Technical is the home of the Pheonix! for Cameron may physically be gone, but in our hearts, he still lives on!"